Other title information of publisher's series

Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series

Numbering within publisher's series

Note on publisher's series

Name of creator

Biographical history

Herbert Junior Swan was born on January 10, 1927 in Demaine, Saskatchewan to Herbert and Freida Swan. He received his primary and secondary education in Demaine, completed Grade 12 at the Saskatoon Technical Institute and attended Success Business College.

Prior to entering provincial politics, Swan operated a grain seed business and farmed in the Beechy area. Swan served on the Outlook School Division Board, was president of the Saskatchewan School Trustees' Association (1976-1978), and was a director of the Canadian School Trustees' Association.

Swan was first elected to the Saskatchewan Legislature in 1978 and served as a Progressive Conservative MLA for the Rosetown-Elrose constituency until 1991. From 1978 to 1982, he was Opposition Critic for Municipal Affairs, Social Services, and Agriculture. Swan served as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 1982 to1986 and was international president of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (1984-1985). He served in the Grant Devine Cabinet as Minister of the Environment (1986-1987) and Minister of the Environment and Public Safety (1987-1989).

From 1986 to 1989, Swan was Minister Responsible for the Water Appeal Board; Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Water Corporation; Chairman of the Regulations Review Committee; and member of the Municipal Financing Corporation.

Swan's cabinet appointments were discontinued on October 3, 1989 when Devine reorganized his Cabinet. Swan retired from political life in 1991. Bernhard Wiens (NDP) became the MLA for the Rosetown-Elrose constituency in October 1991.

Swan married Anita Syroishka on July 1, 1949. They had four children: Karen, Bonnie, Kirk and Heather. He died in Saskatoon on May 28, 2013.

Custodial history

Herb Swan donated these records to the Regina office, Saskatchewan Archives in two accessions in 1989 and 1990: R89-404 (November 7, 1989) and R90-037 (February 8, 1990). The records were transferred from Swan's ministerial office.

Scope and content

This fonds consists of records created, accumulated and used from 1978 to 1989 by Herb Swan in his political career as Minister of the Environment; Minister of the Environment and Public Safety; Speaker of the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly; MLA for the Rosetown-Elrose constituency; member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association; and member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan.

This fonds contains minimal amounts of material relating to Swan's Environment and Environment and Public Safety portfolios.

No series assignment has been applied to the records described in the fonds.